Holy Cross Mountain is a 2,650-metre (8,694-foot) mountain summit located in Alberta, Canada.
| Holy Cross Mountain | |
|---|---|
 West aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,650 m (8,694 ft)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 189 m (620 ft)[3] |
| Parent peak | Mount Head (2,782 m)[3] |
| Isolation | 2.1 km (1.3 mi)[3] |
| Listing | Mountains of Alberta |
| Coordinates | 50°25′18″N 114°37′53″W / 50.42167°N 114.63139°W[4] |
| Geography | |
  Holy Cross Mountain Location in Alberta  Holy Cross Mountain Holy Cross Mountain (Canada) | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Protected area | Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park |
| Parent range | Highwood Range Canadian Rockies |
| Topo map | NTS 82J7 Mount Head[4] |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Fault block |
| Type of rock | Sedimentary rock |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1937 by Raymond M. Patterson |
| Easiest route | Scrambling[5] |
Description edit
Holy Cross Mountain is situated 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Calgary at the southern end of the Highwood Range which is a subrange of the Canadian Rockies.[6] The peak is set 14 km (8.7 mi) east of the Continental Divide, in Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Stony and Wileman creeks which are tributaries of the Highwood River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,150 meters (3,773 ft) above the Highwood Valley in 4 km (2.5 mi). The mountain can be seen from Highway 40 and Highway 541,[1] and is identifiable from as far as Calgary.[6]
History edit
The mountain was named in the early 1900s by George Pocaterra for the shape of a white cross which appears on the east slope as snowfields melt in the spring.[7] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted February 28, 1980, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[4]
The first ascent of the summit was made in 1937 by Raymond M. Patterson.[1] A peak 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Holy Cross Mountain is officially named "Patterson's Peak" in his honor.[8]
Geology edit
Holy Cross Mountain was created during the Lewis Overthrust. The peak is underlain by folded and thrust-faulted sedimentary rock laid down during the Mesozoic and Paleozoic eras. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.[9]
Climate edit
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Holy Cross Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[10] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. The months June through September offer the most favorable weather to climb the mountain.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c "Holy Cross Mountain". cdnrockiesdatabases.ca. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Aphrodite Karamitsanis (1991), Place Names of Alberta: Mountains, mountain parks, and foothills, University of Calgary Press, p. 116
- ^ a b c "Holy Cross Mountain, Peakvisor.com". Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b c "Holy Cross Mountain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Andrew Nugara (2014), More Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, Rocky Mountain Books, ISBN 9781771600163, p. 202
- ^ a b Dave Birrell, Ron Ellis (2000), Calgary's Mountain Panorama, Rocky Mountain Books, ISBN 9780921102120, p. 20
- ^ Dave Birrell (2000), 50 Roadside Panoramas in the Canadian Rockies, Rocky Mountain Books, ISBN 9780921102656, p. 132
- ^ David Finch (2011), R.M. Patterson: A Life of Great Adventure, Touchwood Editions, ISBN 9781926971292]
- ^ Gadd, Ben (2008). Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias.
- ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.
External links edit
- Holy Cross Mountain: weather forecast
- Holy Cross Mountain (photo): Flickr